DO YOU NEED A LICENSED OPERATOR FOR FORKLIFT HIRE

While there is no official ‘forklift license’ as such, anyone operating a forklift must be appropriately trained and have the correct certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that their employees can operate a forklift safely and legally; otherwise, there could be serious consequences.

Operating a Forklift in the UK

There are many recognised awarding bodies that can train and certify a forklift operator. It is recommended that certifications be renewed every five years to keep skills and knowledge up to date.

Forklift operators must also meet certain age and health requirements:

• They must be over the age of 16
• They must have an appropriate level of fitness (especially regarding vision and hearing) and not be at risk of epileptic seizures.

Ensuring forklift operators are qualified is a legal requirement for employers. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) (1998) requires employers to ensure that all equipment, including forklifts, is operated only by competent and adequately trained individuals. These legal requirements also extend to operating a forklift on private property.

Benefits of Hiring a Trained Forklift Operator

As well as being a legal requirement, a certified forklift operator can also be an asset to your business. A skilled and focused operator can improve the efficiency, productivity and overall success of your business:

• Save time: transport heavy materials quickly, efficiently and safely
• Reduce risk: A skilled operator will be less likely to cause accidents and damage
• Organisation: Maintain an organised warehouse and reduce inventory losses.

Forklift Training and Certification – A Good Investment

The price of a forklift training course depends on the level of training (i.e., novice, experienced or refresher), the type of forklift, and the number of employees. Investing in forklift training for your employees provides an opportunity to develop their skillset.

Whether you’re hiring a certified forklift operator or investing in forklift training for your existing employees, consider how many operators your business requires. This will depend on how long and how often you plan to hire equipment. Nevertheless, all forklift operators must be fully qualified regardless of how often they use the equipment.

Ensuring your business possesses reliable forklift operators will set you up for success when you decide to hire materials handling equipment.

Liability and Insurance Considerations

An untrained forklift operator puts themselves and others at serious risk. They are more likely to cause accidents, equipment damage and injuries. The employee would be responsible for any incidents that occur and potentially face dismissal.

Meanwhile, the employer could face criminal prosecution or civil claims and be fined up to £20,0000. Also, an incident caused by an unqualified operator may invalidate your insurance policy.

Forklift Operator Training at Rushlift

Rushlift offers accredited forklift operator training through our dedicated Centre of Excellence. Training can be delivered either at our state-of-the-art facilities or conveniently at your own site.

Contact us here or call us at 0800 731 5035 to speak with our experts and discover how our Centre of Excellence can help you.